Gogo Inc sinks, while Peabody Energy Corporation swims

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) is staring at triple-digit losses at midday, as the geopolitical conflict between Ukraine and Russia escalates. The overseas news has overshadowed the final April reading of the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment index, which finished above economists' consensus estimate at its highest reading in nine months. At last check, the Dow was 116.9 points, or 0.7%, lower at 16,384.74.

Here are a few noteworthy stats at midday:

The equity put/call volume ratio across all 12 options exchanges checks in at 1.10, with puts slightly outpacing calls. Currently, 3.72 million calls are on the tape, compared to 4.13 million puts.

Among the equities with notable put volume is Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE:BTU), despite bucking the broad-market trend lower on post-earnings price-target hikes at Clarkson Capital and Jefferies. At last check, the coal concern was up 1.6% at $18.13, and nearly 61% of its options volume has changed hands on the put side.

The Nasdaq shows an advance/decline ratio of 0.20, with decliners outpacing gainers by a count of about 5-to-1.

One of the Nasdaq's big losers at midday is in-flight wireless provider Gogo Inc (NASDAQ:GOGO), which has shed 5.3% to trade at $18.30.

In the latest American Association of Individual Investors (AAII) poll, the percentage of bulls rebounded from an annual low last week, gaining 7.3 percentage points to finish at 34.5%. The percentage of neutral investors also rose, to 39.5% from 38.5%, while the percentage of bears tumbled to 26.0% from 34.3%.

The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) is up 0.9 point, or nearly 7%, to 14.25, as investor fears escalate. The VIX hasn't closed above 14.50 since April 15.